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Jericho Project opened its first Queens-based Veterans Resource Center in Ozone Park last Friday.

The 35-year-old nonprofit organization’s original mission was to fight homelessness. In 2006, the group started the Veterans Initiative, which now serves 750 veterans annually.

The initiative includes two state-of-the-art residences for veterans in the Bronx, housing placement, and employment services, as well as developing programs for eviction prevention and legal assistance.

CEO Tori Lyon met Councilman Eric Ulrich three years ago. Since then, Ulrich has allocated over $400,000 to Jericho Project’s efforts through the City Council’s Veterans Fund.

Ulrich connected Jericho Project to the a local chapter of the Knights of Columbus, and the two organizations were able to create an office space within the hall.

“If a veteran is getting evicted, or if a veteran is homeless or about to be homeless, we can help them find an apartment and even help them pay their rent with financial assistance,” Lyon said. “We have a lot of connections with employers who are interested in hiring veterans, and we work very individually with the veterans to find something that works with their goals and what they like to do.”

“I can’t guarantee veterans a job, but one thing I can do is assist them with preparation for employment and making them job ready,” he said. “When you’re being interviewed, it can be brutal, so I’ll help them learn how to address some of these questions with techniques rather than go in and get blindsided.”

Once Rivera and the veteran completes the resume, he sends it to Jericho Project’s employment specialist, who will then contact “veteran-friendly” local employers. He also encourages the veterans to send out resumes on their own.

“With you doing your part and us doing our part, chances are that someone will call you,” Rivera said.

Kimberlin Vasquez, an employment specialist with the group, said that local employers include property managers, retailers, startups in Brooklyn and seven different security guard companies, such as Watch Guard 24/7 in Middle Village.

“It all depends on the veterans and what skill set they bring,” she said. “We have a vast network of community boards where we can reach out to employers to present the skill set our veterans bring in.”

For older veterans, there are also stipend-based opportunities for those who are just looking for part-time work.

Jericho Project invited community members to the Veterans Resource Center’s open house last Friday. The center’s two staffers have already visited local homeless shelters, job centers, American Legion posts and VFW halls to get the word out.

“The plan is to help veterans and help get them out of homeless shelters and off the street,” said outreach coordinator George Mills. “We’re trying to make it a one-stop shop. If they need VA assistance, I’d get them into the VA, and there’s a psychiatric staff from NYU that’s available for post-traumatic stress.”

The new Veterans Resource Center at 135-45 Lefferts Boulevard will be open, for now, on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. According to Mills, their availability will expand if they see there is the need for their services.

“We have a wide array of services and Queens is very underserved in veteran services, so we are definitely happy to have a presence here,” Lyon said.

By Melanie Correa

December 10, 2017

On Friday hundreds of volunteers across eight locations in the Bronx and Harlem gathered for a Day of Action Against Homelessness. They pitched in on toy and clothing drives and decorated for the holidays to help veterans and vulnerable New Yorkers have a better holiday.

Volunteers put up Christmas decorations for Day of Action (Melanie Correa)

At the Kingsbridge Terrace Veterans Residence Tori Lyon, the CEO of the Jericho Project that serves veterans there with supportive housing and comprehensive counseling, says that this activity is merely an extention of what goes on daily.

“This is their home and we’re beautifying it for the holidays and spreading some holiday cheer,” she said.

Veteran Pat Wehl, who is a resident, echoed the sentiment.

“The thing about Jericho is that the key word is ‘supportive.’ The fact that they have events like this, that these people are here during Christmas time, says that they go out of their way.”

Ernst & Young, one of the corporate partners for the event, brought some of their employees to help decorate the place.

EY Executive Director Joe McHugh said, “I think it’s important because it’s the holiday season. It’s bringing people together and it enables them to feel the joy of the season. It’s giving back to the community and to an organization we’re passionate about.”

When veterans walked into the community room, they were welcomed by Christmas music, red and green décor, board games and a beautiful Christmas Tree. There was a luncheon and gift-bags from the volunteers.

The occasion motivated Craig Hinds, a veteran who has lived at the Residence since 2012, to open up about his experience living amongst other veterans.

“I love it,” he said. “Veterans have a certain camaraderie with each other and it doesn’t matter what branch we’re from. We understand each other’s special needs, our PTSD issues, and we are able to relate to each other better than with other civilians so it’s great.”

This second annual Day of Action event had eight supporting partners, including Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, and Viacom who pitched in with funding and volunteers personnel. Amazingly enough, the events in all the locations were being held at the same time.

“Our Day of Action will give New Yorkers a way to tackle the crisis of homelessness head-on and give back to our city,” Ms. Lyon said.

For more information on the project, or how to volunteer visit the Jericho Project.

Jericho Project, a 34-year-old nationally-acclaimed nonprofit ending homelessness at its roots, and supporting partners BlackRock; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher; Hogan Lovells; Macro Risk Advisors; Morgan Stanley; Wells Fargo, and Viacom* will kick-off the Second Annual Day of Action taking place December 8th. The event will galvanize 500 volunteers to participate in results-driven service projects and brighten the holidays for homeless and vulnerable New Yorkers at Jericho’s supportive housing residences and offices in Manhattan and the Bronx.

“Our Day of Action brings New Yorkers together to raise awareness for our ongoing efforts to end homelessness but at the same time, make a real difference today for people feeling invisible due to homelessness or poverty,” said Tori Lyon, CEO of Jericho Project, which provides housing, employment and physical and mental health services to over 2,500 homeless and formerly homeless individuals, including 700 veterans, annually.

The 2nd Annual Day of Action will join individuals, families, community partners and companies in projects such as assembling and distributing care packages, preparing clothing and toy drives, and decorating Jericho residences for holiday celebrations. It will build upon the success of the 2016 event that brought together over 350 volunteers to advocate against the despair of homelessness for those in extreme need.

“The Day of Action is a powerful opportunity for companies to offer their employees a meaningful way to connect with their communities. If time is an issue, a company can host a corporate volunteer project on their own site, giving employees the chance to contribute even for a few hours while making a lasting impact on fellow New Yorkers,” said LaToya Williams-Belfort, Chief Development and Communications Officer at Jericho Project.

Jericho strengthens the cornerstones of a person’s life – housing, employment, wellness and family. With over 500 units of supportive housing residences and apartments across the city, Jericho provides access to services customized to its residents’ needs and delivered by expert program specialists and case managers.

From Jericho’s Veterans Initiative launched in 2006, to its programming for families, to its housing and employment services now underway for young adults, including displaced LGBTQ individuals, Jericho has long been a leader in innovating and comprehensively meeting the specific needs of the populations served.

Volunteers are encouraged to register early at jerichoproject.org/action, as the Day of Action is building momentum quickly.

For corporate group participation and sponsorship, please contact Dio Ndiaye, Development Manager at dndiaye@jerichoproject.org and for Individual volunteers and family/friend groups, $100 per volunteer or $350 for a group of four will cover the cost of all Day of Action supplies and distributions, as well as support Jericho’s life-changing, cost-effective year round services and programming.

About Jericho Project: #JerichoDayOfAction2017

Jericho Project was founded in 1983 to provide housing and holistic services to New York City’s most vulnerable homeless individuals. Jericho’s rigorous fiscal discipline, innovative public-private partnerships and base of passionate donors have created a solid track record of results. 95% of clients maintain housing stability. Jericho’s housing and extended services cost only $13,000 per person annually, compared to $32,000 for a single shelter, $50,000 for a family shelter, and $168,000 for a jail cell annually. http://www.jerichoproject.org

About BlackRock

BlackRock helps investors build better financial futures. As a fiduciary to our clients, we provide the investment and technology solutions they need when planning for their most important goals. As of September 30, 2017, the firm manages approximately $5.977 trillion in assets on behalf of investors worldwide. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit http://www.blackrock.com | Twitter: @blackrock | Blog: http://www.blackrockblog.com | LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock

About Gibson Dunn
From Southern California beginnings in 1890, Gibson Dunn has grown to a global law firm providing comprehensive services across borders, jurisdictions and legal disciplines. Our more than 1,200 lawyers are located in 19 offices in major cities throughout the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and South America. We celebrated our 125th anniversary in 2015. http://www.gibsondunn.com

About Hogan Lovells

Hogan Lovells is a leading global legal practice providing business-oriented legal advice and high-quality service across its exceptional breadth of practices to clients around the world. “Hogan Lovells” or the “firm” is an international legal practice that includes Hogan Lovells US LLP and Hogan Lovells International LLP. For more information, see http://www.hoganlovells.com

About Macro Risk Advisors

Macro Risk Advisors is an independent derivatives strategy and execution firm headquartered in New York and specializing in translating proprietary market intelligence into specific trading ideas for institutional investors. Utilizing proven techniques for trade execution, MRA enables clients to consistently achieve efficient pricing in the equity and option markets. MRA’s strategy notes are read by more than 500 unique institutional firms. The company is a FINRA-registered broker-dealer. For more information, visit http://www.macroriskadvisors.com or MRAD GO on Bloomberg.

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in more than 42 countries, the Firm’s employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For further information about Morgan Stanley, please visit http://www.morganstanley.com

About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,500 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 42 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 271,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on Fortune’s 2017 rankings of America’s largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at http://www.wellsfargo.com

About Viacom

Viacom is home to premier global media brands that create compelling television programs, motion pictures, short-form content, apps, games, consumer products, social media experiences, and other entertainment content for audiences in more than 180 countries. Viacom’s media networks, including Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, Spike, BET, CMT, TV Land, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., Logo, Nicktoons, TeenNick, Channel 5 (UK), Telefe (Argentina) and Paramount Channel, reach over 3.9 billion cumulative television subscribers worldwide. Paramount Pictures is a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit http://www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom’s blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/viacom
*confirmed to date

Jericho Project, a nationally-acclaimed nonprofit leader ending homelessness at its roots, has been named an Official Charity Partner of the 2017 TCS New York City Marathon 2017. The race will take place on Sunday, November 5, 2017. This is the first time that Jericho has been an Official Charity Partner.

Individuals who run for Jericho Project are guaranteed entry into the Marathon. Each runner will raise a minimum of $5,000 to be raised by October 29, 2017. Funds will benefit housing, employment and health services for the more than 2,500 adults, veterans, families and young adults who Jericho serves annually. One of Jericho’s newest initiatives is Walton House, its eighth and largest supportive housing residence being built in the Bronx to enable homeless and at-risk veterans and young, many LGBTQ, adults, to lead fulfilling lives.

“The 2017 TCS New York City Marathon reminds us that we are all part of a larger community that works together on behalf of our citizens in New York and nationally,” said Tori Lyon, Jericho Project CEO. “Many of our supporters and staff are runners, so we are excited to channel these passions towards what is one of the greatest urban experiences of individual achievement and solidarity of spirit.”

More than 350 official charity partners will be part of the 2017 TCS New York City Marathon. In 2016, 9,000 charity runners raised $36.1 million during the marathon on behalf of hundreds of not-for-profit organizations in New York City and across the nation. Since the inception of the official charity partner program in 2006, $235 million has been raised.

Approximately 50,000 runners are expected to finish the 2017 TCS New York City Marathon.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Jericho Project as an official charity partner of the 2017 TCS New York City Marathon,” said Michael Rodgers, vice president of development and philanthropy for New York Road Runners. “Participants in our official charity partner program run for causes that are important to them, while raising critical funds that directly impact hundreds of charity organizations. We are inspired by the thousands of runners who take part in this program and wish them all the best as they begin their incredible journeys to the 2017 TCS New York City Marathon.”

Jericho Project provides supportive housing and comprehensive services to encourage employment and wellness in seven supportive housing residences in New York, including two state-of-the-art Veterans Residences in the Bronx. Additionally, it enables adults, families and veterans to access affordable housing in apartments throughout the city.

The 2017 TCS New York City Marathon will feature a world-class American and international professional athlete field, charity runners, and thousands of runners of all ages and abilities. More than 10,000 volunteers help to support participants across the 26.2-mile race route, which touches each of New York City’s five boroughs and is lined with more than one million neighbors and guests.

The 2017 TCS New York City Marathon will be broadcast live locally on WABC-TV, Channel 7, and nationally on ESPN2.

About Jericho Project: Jericho Project was founded in 1983 to provide housing and holistic services to New York City’s most vulnerable homeless individuals. Jericho’s rigorous fiscal discipline, innovative public-private partnerships and base of passionate donors have created a solid track record of results: 95% of clients maintain housing stability. Jericho’s housing and extended services cost only $13,000 per person annually, compared to $32,000 for a single shelter, $50,000 for a family shelter, and $168,000 for a jail cell annually. http://www.jerichoproject.org

About the TCS New York City Marathon
The TCS New York City Marathon is the premier event of New York Road Runners (NYRR) and the largest marathon in the world. Over 1,100,000 people have finished the race since its first running in 1970 with just 127 entrants and 55 finishers running four laps around Central Park. The race expanded to all five boroughs in 1976 and just celebrated its 40th year as a five-borough affair. Held annually on the first Sunday of November, the race features over 50,000 runners including the world’s top professional athletes and a vast range of competitive, recreational, and charity runners. Participants from approximately 125 countries tour the city, starting on Staten Island at the foot of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and running through the neighborhoods of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx before ending in Manhattan. The NYRR Youth Invitational at the TCS New York City Marathon covered 1.8 miles of the race course in Central Park, beginning near mile 24 and finishing at the famed TCS New York City Marathon finish line. More than one million spectators and thousands of volunteers line the city streets in support of the runners, while millions more watch the television broadcast in 175 countries and territories, including viewers in the New York area on WABC-TV, Channel 7, nationally on ESPN2, and via various international broadcast partners. The race is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, which features the world’s top marathons—Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York—and crowns the top professional male and female marathoners each year. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization, is the premier partner of NYRR and the title sponsor of the TCS New York City Marathon. The 47th running of the TCS New York City Marathon is set for November 5, 2017. To learn more, visit http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org.

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Facts & Figures

Jericho Project provides more than 400 units of supportive housing in New York City.

95% of our tenants do not return to homelessness.

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When families experience the horror of not having a safe place to call home, Jericho Project is there to provide the services that get them off the streets and on with life. But that help starts with you.

It is because of your compassion that we can provide 95% successful, cost-effective, expert programming to thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers each year, giving them a chance at a better life.